Verizon Pitches New Cell Tower to Warwick Village Board

Bryan Tempio, representing Verizon Wireless, presented to the Village of Warwick Board of Trustees two possible locations for a new cell tower in the Village during the Board meeting on Mon., Nov. 5.

The first and most optimal proposed area was the water tower just off of Highland Ave. With its high elevation and location between Verizon’s two existing cell towers, the new tower could offer service and data to hundreds of Verizon users in the Village, according to Tempio.

Tempio said that the relief isn’t immediately necessary but is predicted to be in the coming years.

Trustee Eileen Patterson asked Tempio if the cell tower could be placed above St. Anthony Community Hospital where other cell service providers currently have their cell towers. Tempio said that he could go back and ask, but stated that the Highland Ave. location was where Verizon’s engineers thought a new cell tower would offer the most relief.

The second proposed location is the water tower off of Ridgefield Rd. The proposed cell tower would be a 40 to 50 foot wooden pole with an antenna on top.

Tempio will consult with Verizon’s Engineers and St. Anthony Community Hospital about Patterson’s alternative proposed option and then will return to the Board at a later date.

New Credit Card Program Proposed for Water Payments

The Board is currently in talks with Edmunds and Associates Credit Card Program for a way for residents to be able to pay their water bills by credit or debit card. If residents wish to pay online the new program would require them to log in with their account number from their water bill and a pin, for security purposes.

The program would charge residents with a 2.95% processing fee and would cost the Village a $600 maintenance fee, a $600 licensing fee, and $90 fee for a new credit card swipe so that residents can pay by card in Village Hall.

The percentage processing fee proved to be a controversial part of the new program for the Board. The water bill program that is currently used charges residents with a flat fee of $3.95 no matter how high your water bill is when residents paid with card.

Trustees George McManus and Trustee Patterson both asked Trustee Barry Cheney to look into other additional ways for the processing fee to be charged. Trustee Cheney said that he’ll look into it but said that the processing fee was a point of negotiation already and said that the 2.95% fee was the best Edmunds and Associates could offer.

Village View Subdivision

Elizabeth Cassidy and Steven Gross, both lawyers in the Village of Warwick, submitted written statements regarding issues with the proposed Village View Subdivision.

Both sets of council were reached out to by the Maher family and their neighbors. The Maher family has been very vocal about their opposition to the Village View Subdivision at several Village Hall and Planning Board meetings.

Members of the family made statements at this week’s meeting calling for another public hearing for the Final Environmental Impact Statement and raising doubts on how the 2008 28-lot development in the area was ever approved. They believe that all approvals for developments in the area should be rescinded and that the projects should be sent back to their beginning stages until they are able to account for all the issues with the property in the Environmental Impact Statements.

Mayor Michael Newhard said that he’s listening to all of the feedback from the public regarding the project and asks that all residents additionally make their voices heard to the Planning Board.

Holiday Parking in the Village

Parking will be free in the Village of Warwick between Nov. 18 and Jan. 1 to help promote business in the Village. All parking rules still apply including the two-hour time limit in front of meters.

Approved Events

Traditional horse and buggy rides will be offered in the Village on Sun., Nov. 18, Sat., Dec. 1, Sun., Dec. 2, Sat., Dec. 8, Sun., Dec. 9, Sat., Dec. 15, and Sun., Dec. 16, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. The route will start on Railroad Ave and continue down Main St. to South St. and back to Railroad Ave.

Santa will be coming town to take pictures on his sleigh in Railroad Green on Sat., Dec. 8 with a rain date for the following day. Santa will be there from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Next Meeting

The next Board meeting will be held on Mon., Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in Village Hall, located at 77 Main St. in Warwick NY.

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The Warwick Valley Dispatch, a weekly newspaper, was founded in 1885 by George F. Ketchum and has been in the same family for its entire 130 years of providing local news to Town of Warwick residents. The newspaper is printed on a 1930s web press in the Dispatch building, located at 2 Oakland Avenue in Warwick, NY.